Branson Missouri's Free Attractions

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Coming to Branson, Missouri on your next vacation does not mean you have to pay an arm and a leg to have a good time. You will find there are several different ways to spend your time in Branson without having to spend a dime. The beauty that abounds in this Ozark's paradise is enough to provide you with the incentive you need to travel to the area. However, where you go may be dictated by how much you can afford.

Branson, Missouri is not the type of big town metropolis where everything costs you something. You can actually come to the area on a budget and still take away as much, if not more from the entire experience. The whole family will love the quaint and serene settings. From a walk along the lake's edge to a picnic lunch or swimming excursion, there are plenty of low cost activities for the whole family to enjoy and take in when traveling to this beautiful area.

Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery

You can explore the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery at no cost to you. The Hatchery, which provides trout to the nearby White River, is located outside of the Branson city limits. However, it is not too far away, a mere six miles to the southwest. This is the largest facility in Missouri to produce and stock trout. This is done through the Conservation Trout Production Program through Missouri's Department of Conservation.

The Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery was built in 1957. The first successful trout production occurred back in 1958. On average, 301,000 lbs. of trout are produced here each year. These catchable trout make up over one million trout that are produced annually.

From this million, close to 500,000 trout each year is placed in Lake Teneycomo. The Lake also receives 225,000 trout from Neosho National Fish Hatchery, which is located in the Southwest Ozarks. All of the other trout produced by the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery is stocked in trout management areas around Missouri. This, of course, includes the White River, which is known for its successful trout fishing programs.

Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery is responsible for producing both rainbow and brown trout in order to meet Conservation quotas. The facilities at the hatchery provide both eggs and fingerlings so trout is successfully produced. On over 211 acres (84 acres developed), you will enjoy a visit to the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. A quarter of a million visitors come to the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery when they visit Branson, Missouri, each year.

A trip to the hatchery provides an informed tour of the premises with information on the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. On your free tour, you will learn about the entire trout production process from start to finish. Explore the world of trout incubation, tank maintenance and issues, raising and spawning young in ponds, and you can even feed the hungry-fish while enjoying the fresh, mountain, Ozark air.

Stone Hill Winery

Stone Hill Winery has a 150-year history of producing wine. This heritage makes for the best wine in the region. You can explore world history and technology when you go on a free tour of the Stone Hill Winery facilities. This winery has been awarded for excellence in the wine making industry. Now it is your turn to find out exactly what makes the Stone Hill Winery in Branson, Missouri, so magnificent.

The Stone Hill Winery is one of the most popular attractions in Branson. With main facilities in Hermann, Missouri, the Branson division of the winery still provides an amazing opportunity to learn about and experience the wine making process. Stone Hill Winery is the oldest winery in Missouri. It is also the most awarded in the region. The Branson location is an amazing 12,000 square feet in size!

Visitors to the Stone Hill Winery have been coming here since 1986. The tour lasts one hour and you have the opportunity to taste the amazing, flavored wines as you make your own determination of whether Stone Hill Winery really is the best winery in Missouri. During your tour, you will travel through the winery and view the systematic process for producing wine.

You will get the chance to view a short film on the winemaking tradition in Missouri. This outlines the main headquarters for the Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, Missouri, which boasts vineyards and cellars.

From here, you will be invited to smell the scents of maturing Sherry. This intoxicating aroma is baked and aged in oak casks. On the rest of your Stone Hill Winery tour, you will have a chance to watch the winery bottle its famous Spumante wines. Every 15 minutes, a new tour begins and they are no cost to you or the other members of your family.

Table Rock Lakeshore Trail

Table Rock Lake is one of the beautiful lakes in Branson, Missouri. The Army Corp of Engineers has teamed up with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corp to provide the ultimate trail around the Lakeshore of Table Rock Lake. These agencies received a $500,000 investment into this project and now, both residents and visitors to Branson will enjoy the Table Rock Lakeshore Trail.

The Table Rock Lakeshore Trail is wheelchair accessible. In fact, wheelchairs are the only motorized vehicles allowed on these paved trails. The Table Rock Lakeshore Trail is eight feet wide and spans 2.2 miles.

This trail was completed in the fall of 2004. Since then millions of visitors have received views never seen before by those who have visited Table Rock Lake in the past. The trail runs from the Table Rock Dam (south side) at the Dewey Short Visitor Center and ends at the State Park Marina.

Points on the trail offer restrooms. There is a place to hike and bike on the trail and since the trail complies with ADA (American with Disabilities Act) standards, nearly everyone, even those who might never have seen the splendor of the Ozarks otherwise, are able to see magnificent views of the Table Rock Lake.

The Table Rock Lakeshore Trail will take you through the woodlands, along the shoreline and over wet weather creeks throughout the area. Native plant life, indigenous animals including deer and various bird species are available on the Table Rock Lakeshore Trail. The trail is open from dawn to dusk.

Accepted modes of transportation on the trail besides wheelchairs and those walking or running include skateboards, bikes, and scooters. You can schedule a picnic in one of the conveniently located picnicking areas or simply tour the trail to enjoy the splendor of the Ozarks, which surrounds you.